For a long time, motorists traveling along a highway would have to rely on radio reporting to keep them apprised of potential traffic jams. Often the information would come too late, and suddenly a fast-moving highway would slow to almost a dead stop, due to an accident or other traffic-creating situation.
In the interest of aiding drivers, many cities now post digital signs, along the motorways, that indicate estimated traveling times to key off-ramps, other highways and cities of interest. For example, a driver traveling from Northville, Mich. to Detroit, Mich. may see a sign along I-96 that says “estimated time to downtown—85 minutes.” If that driver were familiar with the area, then they would know that this means there is at least one significant traffic issue along I-96, because that drive should typically take 30-40 minutes.
Using this information, the driver can attempt to find another route downtown, abort a journey, stop for food (in an attempt to let the traffic clear) or otherwise make their journey more efficient. In the absence of the information, the driver was likely to simply end up another member of the traffic jam, increasing the backup and wasting significant time.
Traffic information is also available to GPS navigation providers, and certain GPS's will provide a driver with traffic information along a current route to a known destination. This information can be used by the driver in deciding whether or not to route around a particular situation.
U.S. Application publication 2011/0238289 generally relates to a navigation device and computer implemented method for predicting the destination of a trip, the method being executed by a navigation device, the method comprising the steps of: determining starting parameters, the starting parameters comprising at least the starting point, starting time and date of the trip, executing a destination prediction algorithm, the destination prediction algorithm taking the starting parameters as input and predicting a destination, wherein the destination prediction algorithm is generated by using information of a trip history; determining, upon arrival at the predicted or another destination, the actual destination.
U.S. Application publication 2004/0117113 generally relates to a method for updating route data stored in a vehicle navigation device, particularly an off-board vehicle navigation device, the route data being updated in response to the occurrence of at least one predetermined event. The method includes transmitting route query data to at least one center when at least one predetermined, traffic-flow-induced event occurs.